LPM Online

January 22, 2002

Contents

  1. Upcoming Events
  2. Bylaws Chair and Platform Chair Appointments Available
  3. Talking Points--Michigan Politics
  4. Positions Available on the LPM Committee (LEC)
  5. NEWS RELEASE--LP Says Granholm Out of Line.

  1. Upcoming Events

    January 23, 2002 - 6:30 PM
    LP of Oakland County General Membership Meeting. Public welcome. Meet for dinner at 6:30pm, business begins at 7:30pm. We will be electing our 2002 Executive Committee at tonight's meeting.
    Location: Sila's Restaurant, 4033 W. 12 Mile Rd, Berkley. Sila's is 2 blocks west of Greenfield on Twelve Mile Road.
    Contact: Chris Pellerito Phone: (248) 373-9411 E-mail: LpocChairChris@aol.com

    February 5, 2002 - 6:30 PM
    Monthly Meeting - LP of Wayne County
    Optional dinner starts at 6:30pm
    Meeting with program starts at 7:45pm
    All are welcome to attend.
    Business: Nominations of new officers.
    Location: City Tavern
    14316 Michigan Ave
    Dearborn - between Greenfield and Schaffer
    Contact: Heather Pauli Phone: (313) 538-8208 E-mail: heatherpauli@hotmail.com

    February 5, 2002 - 7:00 PM
    Hillsdale / Branch Libertarians Monthly Meeting
    Location: Fillmore's for Steaks, US-12 in Jonesville, 2 blks west of M-99--in the restaurant, not the bar.
    Contact: James Parker Phone: (517) 439-2460 E-mail: jamesp@hillsdale.epcorp.com

    February 11, 2002 - 7:00 PM
    Clare-Gladwin Libertarian Pary Meeting, issues to be discussed is candidate recruitment, Spring fundraiser and framing local issues. Refreshments provided.
    Location: Grant Township Hall, 1 mile west of Jay's Sporting Goods on Surrey Road.
    Contact: Ghazey Aleck Phone: (989) 386-2699 E-mail: aleckfamily@voyager.net

    February 13, 2002 - 6:30 PM
    Libertarians of Macomb County monthly meeting. Drinks and dinner at 6:30 PM, business begins at 7:00 PM.
    Location: Miles World Resturant, 17689 Masonic, Fraser, MI 48026, 810-415-4500.
    Contact: Diane Barnes Phone: (810) 774-1625 E-mail: dbarnes98@aol.com

    February 23, 2002 - 6:00 PM

    The Tri-City Libertarian Party is proud to announce its first annual Freedom Dinner! This event is for anyone interested in preserving liberty and our Constitutional freedoms.

    John Grether has accepted our invitation to speak at the event. His topic will be “From Terrorism to Tyranny”.

    Mr. Grether is a professor at Northwood University and an academic with the Midland Mackinaw Center for Public policy.

    The dinner will be held on February 23, 2002, at The Paddock, which is located at 1013 North Henry St. in Bay City.

    6:00 Social Hour

    7:00 Dinner

    Tickets are now available at a cost of $20.00 per person. Admission will be by ticket only — no sales at the door. For reservations, please contact Stephen M. Townsend at (989) 631-4853 or Rae Jozwiak at (989) 922-5226. As always you can e-mail president@makingfreedomring.com or jozie@mail.com

    Location: This year’s event will be held on February 23, 2002 at The Paddock on 1013 North Henry St. in Bay City.
    Contact: Stephen M. Townsend Phone: (989) 631-4853 E-mail: president@makingfreedomring.com

    March 5, 2002 - 6:30 PM
    Monthly Meeting - LP of Wayne County
    Optional dinner starts at 6:30pm
    Meeting with program starts at 7:45pm
    All are welcome to attend.
    Business: Election of New Officers
    Location: City Tavern
    14316 Michigan Ave
    Dearborn - between Greenfield and Schaffer
    Contact: Heather Pauli Phone: (313) 538-8208 E-mail: heatherpauli@hotmail.com

    March 5, 2002 - 7:00 PM
    Hillsdale / Branch Libertarians Monthly Meeting
    Location: Fillmore's for Steaks, US-12 in Jonesville, 2 blks west of M-99--in the restaurant, not the bar.
    Contact: James Parker Phone: (517) 439-2460 E-mail: jamesp@hillsdale.epcorp.com

    March 13, 2002 - 6:30 PM
    Libertarians of Macomb County monthly meeting. Drinks and dinner at 6:30 PM, business begins at 7:00 PM.
    Location: Miles World Resturant, 17689 Masonic, Fraser, MI 48026, 810-415-4500.
    Contact: Diane Barnes Phone: (810) 774-1625 E-mail: dbarnes98@aol.com

    April 2, 2002 - 7:00 PM
    Hillsdale / Branch Libertarians Monthly Meeting
    Location: Fillmore's for Steaks, US-12 in Jonesville, 2 blks west of M-99--in the restaurant, not the bar.
    Contact: James Parker Phone: (517) 439-2460 E-mail: jamesp@hillsdale.epcorp.com

    More
    For more events, see the online calendar at:
    http://www.michiganlp.org/lpmonline/events.php

  2. Bylaws Chair and Platform Chair Appointments Available by Ghazey Aleck

    Persons interested in being appointment to serve as either the Bylaws chair or the Platforms chair at this year's LPM convention should contact me by February 3rd. An e-mail message is fine. Both of last year's chairs were offered an opportunity to serve again but they were not available. Thus, the opportunity to serve is wide open. Thank-you.

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  3. Talking Points--Michigan Politics by Ghazey Aleck

    Democratic U.S. Senator Carl Levin will be running for his fifth term. No other U.S. Senator from Michigan has served as long as Levin. A fifth term extends that record. Is this good for Michigan or just good for Levin?

    Democrats recently announced that they will be doing a referendum petition drive to overturn the ban on the option to vote for a straight ticket, said ban having been pushed through by the Republicans. Citizens are already disenfranchised by being forced to vote for candidates picked by some shadowy back room process that decides who the two major parties' nominees are before the people get to cast a single ballot. The machine then turns out the money and influence to nominate their hand-picked political hack. Only 40-45% of eligible voters turn out to vote. Thus, the argument over the straight ticket option is not about enhancing voter participation by expanding choice, it is about trying to get the voters who do show up to read each name--presumably this helps the Republicans ... because ... Democrats can't read?

    Attorney General Jennifer Granholm could still be re-elected to that post even if she loses the Democratic primary for governor. The Democrats can nominate her for Attorney General at the Democratic Party convention in September after the primary. What?! you say. How can that be when Libertarians and other third parties must, by law, nominate their candidates before the primary? It's the law. And yes, it's not fair.

    Statewide, there are 83 counties and 689 county commission seats up for election this year. Allcommissioner spots are up every two years. How about getting mom, dad, brother, sister or libertarian friend to run for these offices as libertarians in your hometown. Kinda makes you wonder if 110 libertarian candidates in the 2000 elections made enough impact when there are 700 commission spots out there alone, doesn't it? Consider also that there were about 5,000 township positions open back in 2000 (these are up every 4 years during the general election). Then don't forget the 500 county position like Sheriff, Prosecutor, Treasurer, Clerk, Drain Commission or Road Commissioner. The point is please do not sit back and wait to recruit candidates. We have alot to do to start making enough impact to be competitive.

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  4. Positions Available on the LPM Committee (LEC) by Ghazey Aleck

    There are two openings on the LPM committee (LEC). When there was one open, the committee chose not to fill it. Now that there are two open, the issue is on the table again. The committee may or may not choose to fill these positions. However, I am asking that anyone interested please express that in one of two ways, either e-mail me or appear at the February 3rd meeting. This will allow the committee to make the best choice for the party and give everyone an opportunity to apply for consideration if the positions are actually filled. The sitting members of the committee will make such appointments by nomination and vote. Thank you.

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  5. NEWS RELEASE--LP Says Granholm Out of Line. by Ghazey Aleck

    NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    From the Libertarian Party of Michigan

    Contact: Ghazey Aleck, Chairman

    1-800-608-7375

    LEAVE SMALL BUSINESSES ALONE!

    LIBERTARIAN PARTY SAYS GRANHOLM OUT OF LINE

    The Libertarian Party supports a free market and does not want small businesses being harassed by government over the law of supply and demand. “We do not find Attorney General Jennifer Granholm qualified to run your local grocery store let alone understand the economy and the law of supply and demand”, says Libertarian Party Chairman Ghazey Aleck.

    The Attorney General and Gubernatorial candidate is suing many of your local gas stations / convenience stores for trying not to run out of gas on September 11th of last year.

    Case in point comes from Bobbie's Corner Grocery in Midland, Michigan one of many reputable businesses named in lawsuits, who are being accused of trying to keep some of their gas supplies from being bought up on September 11, 2001.

    Consider too the chain of events. As we already know, in the morning of the September 11 terrorist hijacked four planes. Two were crashed into the World Trade Center in New York, one into the Pentagon in Washington DC, and one crashed in a Pennsylvania field while brave Americans struggled for control of the airplane from the hijackers. The people of the entire nation were shocked in horror. In fact, the tragedy made the whole world stand still.

    After the initial impact people became understandably worried and confused. Many of your neighbors panicked and flooded gas stations all around Michigan buying as much gasoline as they could, filling up their cars and every gas can they could get. With demand for gasoline growing rapidly with little to no end in sight, Bobbie Jean Harvey, Owner of Bobbie’s Party Store felt he had to take action.

    Mr. Harvey knew that the supply of gasoline was not disrupted by the terrorist attacks but you couldn't convince his customers. Mr. Harvey saw his gasoline supplies quickly dwindle from thousands of gallons to a few hundred, and the prospect of running completely out loomed ominously over his livelihood. Signs saying “out of gas” for a number of days would not only hurt his business but would exasperate the panic. He would not be getting more gas until his regularly scheduled delivery later in the week and he knew many of his loyal customers, the ones who were not panicking, would need gas before then.

    What did he do? He asked people to move down the road. He didn't put up a neon sign. He raised his prices higher than his competition just one mile down the road to encourage people to buy gas from them. This is a classic example of the law of supply and demand in a free market.

    Mr. Harvey and many other businessmen who did the same thing to save what little gas they could to keep their business alive for the days to come before being re-supplied are now being told they broke the law.

    According to Jennifer Granholm, it is against the law to keep supplies of merchandise your customers need. It is wrong for you to encourage your customers to buy from somewhere else. It is wrong to change you prices pursuant to the law of supply and demand. It is wrong for a small business person to make the best judgment possible to survive. It is wrong to compete in a free market.

    Chairman Aleck asks, “Is this the person we want as our next governor? If Ms. Granholm wants to run a gas station let her apply to the local 7 -11. As Governor we need more than a gas station manager.”

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